


Suckerpunch

by Cyriusli



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 15:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8582857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyriusli/pseuds/Cyriusli
Summary: Zoro confronts Sanji when the blond finally returns to the Sunny.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This sort of turned into a nakama fic instead, but I am okay with that. You could still read it as zosan, but in the end, that's not how it came about.

Zoro knew the moment Sanji was back. He could feel that familiar tingle shoot up his spine and it actually made him pause and look over his shoulder, scanning the surrounding area to see if the other man was in sight. Usopp had given him a questioning look and with a shake of his head, Zoro ignored the sniper, turning back and carrying on with where they were headed.

He tried to push it down and force the feeling to the back of his mind until he could actually see Sanji, but try as Zoro did, it nagged at him; poked at him until by the time they returned to Law’s submarine and got the call from Luffy on the Sunny, he’d all but snapped into the mouthpiece when he heard Sanji’s voice in the background. “I’m going to fucking deck you!” Zoro growled out before Law could take the poor snail away from him.

_ “Bring it on, asshole!” _ Sanji snarled back and then Luffy was on the line again, talking to Law about where they would meet.

Zoro paced the room the crew was staying in the entire night they sailed to meet with the rest of their nakama. By the time the Sunny was in sight, his hand was sore from how hard he’d been gripping the hilt of his katana out of anger. He couldn’t even pinpoint one thing he was angry at Sanji about anymore. It was all of it: the leaving, the disregard for their family, for their loyalty to the crew. He was mad Sanji had lied, had left the others and thought he could take on all of this shit by himself. But mostly, Zoro was mad that there was something off about Sanji. He couldn’t exactly tell what, but even from a distance he could  _ feel _ it and that pissed him off the most.

Sanji was scarce all day, using the excuse of needing to cook for both crews to hide in the galley. The feeling Zoro had grew over the course of the day and his anger built every time he looked to the galley door or caught a glimpse of blond hair. He knew Sanji was avoiding him, could tell by the constant shifts in Sanji’s aura as he bounced around the ship all day. Yet, Zoro never got a chance to really see him.

Everyone had kept telling him Sanji was fine and not to worry about him. Luffy had even laughed at him, slapping him on the back and screaming about how he had the best crew in the whole New World. Zoro knew better. If Sanji was fine, then he’d have seen him by now, having to cook or not. If Sanji was fine, Zoro wouldn’t be feeling this unease in his presence and he wouldn’t have been this pissed off. Yeah, he would have still been mad, Sanji had pulled a lot of shit since the crew got to Zou, but this ran deeper. Sanji wasn’t telling them something, despite the fact everyone reassured him the fucking shitty asshole was all smiles and back to being himself.

Zoro simply knew that wasn’t true.

He finally got his chance after dinner, when the Heart Pirates, save for Law, Bepo and the idiots, Shachi and Penguin, returned to their ship and the Strawhat Crew retired to the aquarium to discuss what their next move would be. He’d waved them off, glare locked on the galley door and dashed up the stairs as soon as Luffy had given him the okay to skip the stupid meeting.

Sanji was on the other side of the door humming to himself, most likely as he washed dishes. Zoro could feel the warmth of his aura as it swam around him. Having been so far from him for so long, getting the full brunt of it now was overwhelming and Zoro paused, gasping loudly at the feeling of drowning in the other man’s presence. Under it all though, Zoro could still feel and sense that unsettled vibe, like dirt when stirred at the bottom of the waves, and he pushed forward, grasping a hold of the galley door and throwing it open.

He saw Sanji jump as the door slammed against the wall, startled from his thoughts as his aura shifted to show his shock. Turning to look over his shoulder, Sanji’s jaw dropped open and he didn’t even try to hide the alarmed look on his face. “Zoro,” he started, taking a step to turn to face him and flicking his hands to get the extra water off them.

Zoro kept moving. He knew his own presence had to be just as overwhelming to Sanji as Sanji’s was to him, and he used that moment of shock to his advantage. Turning the corner around the counter, Zoro pulled back, twisting his entire body and lashing out, landing one good and solid punch to Sanji’s cheek. The blond stumbled back, but he didn’t fall, grasping at the counter as his hand flew to his face and he growled as he looked up to Zoro from where he’d caught himself.

“I fucking told you!” Zoro snapped out, hands balling into fists at his sides as he squared his shoulders and stood to his full height. “You stupid son-of-a-bitch!”

“Me?” Sanji shot back, spitting blood in the sink and Zoro couldn’t help but smirk at it. Served the fucker right. He flexed his hand at his side, ready to punch the blond again if he had to. “You come into  _ my _ galley and start a fight! You’re lucky I’m not kicking your head off your fucking shoulders right now!”

“Fucking  _ try  _ it!” Zoro hissed, stepping back into a stance and grasping a hold of Kitetsu’s hilt. “I have been wanting to fucking fight you since I heard of your selfish stunt on Zou.”

“Selfish?” Sanji snarled, tapping his shoes on the floor. Zoro felt the blood rush through his veins as he felt the oh-so-welcoming flare to Sanji’s aura. The blond wanted to fight him as bad as Zoro did. And Zoro was more than willing to let him. “You have no fucking clue!”

“I know you’re lying.” Zoro growled out.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Sanji jerked his head back, glaring at Zoro and daring him to speak. “I am not lying.”

“I can feel it.” Zoro hissed, letting go of his weapon and darting forward, grabbing Sanji by the shirt and slamming him back against the fridge. Sanji reacted instantly this time, kneeing him in the stomach and kicking him back across the kitchen faster than Zoro could even register it. He hit the wall hard, dropping to his knees and gasping for breath as he dropped forward onto his arms.

“Just shut the fuck up, asshole!” Sanji tapped his shoes against the floor again before he walked across the kitchen to stand in front of Zoro. He could see the scuffed polish on Sanji’s shoes, another testament to how fucked up Sanji was. The others may not have paid any attention to it, but Zoro knew. Even on the worst of days, those fucking shoes were top priority to the cook and there was no way he’d let them stay tarnished like that unless his mind was preoccupied.

“I suggest,” Sanji’s tone was deadly as he looked down his nose at Zoro. Zoro sat back on his knees, glaring up at Sanji as he coughed and rubbed at his ribs. “I suggest you watch what comes out of your shitty yap. You have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I think,” Zoro started, getting to his feet and matching Sanji’s glare head on. “I think I know exactly what I am talking about.”

“Don’t assume you know a damned thing about me. You haven’t seen me in, what, weeks? You have no idea what you are talking about.” Zoro could hear Sanji grind his teeth together, snarling out every word he spat at the swordsman.

Zoro grabbed him by the upper arms and spun, slamming Sanji against the wall and pinning him there. He slid close to the blond, using his weight to keep Sanji there and stepping on his foot. “I don’t know what you’re fucking problem is, Sanji. You may have the others fooled, but you can’t fool me. You’re not okay. I fucking knew you weren’t okay the moment I felt your aura. Stop lying to yourself.”

“I’m not lying!” Sanji jerked his shoulders under Zoro. “Get off me! You have no right—”

“I have every right!” Zoro pulled back, slamming Sanji’s shoulders against the wall once more. “You can’t just leave, then come back and expect things to go back to the way they were before.”

“Yes, I can.” Sanji shot back, attempting to jerk his legs free. Zoro knew he would try to kick his way out of this and he wasn’t about to let him get away so easily.

“No.” Zoro’s tone was sharp and firm. “I won’t let you. You fucked up and you have to pay for that.”

“I have paid for it!” Sanji yelled in his face, jerking his shoulders one more time as tears welled in the corners of his eyes. It shocked Zoro so much that he actually let Sanji go, taking a step back as he watched the blond wipe at his eyes. He pulled in a shaky breath as his entire aura surged with that underlying tone Zoro had been feeling. “I have paid for it.” Sanji mumbled again, looking off to the side and tugging at the buttons of his shirt sleeve.

“You don’t know what I have done, Zoro. Or what I had happen to me.” Sanji’s voice was suddenly too quiet and too broken. Zoro didn’t like the feeling that swept over him either and he shuddered as the blond pulled his sleeve cuff back and raised his arm, hand balled into a fist and showing off the bruised ring around his wrist. “It was fucking hell, Zoro.”

“What did you do?” Zoro grabbed Sanji by he forearm and yanked his arm down to run his fingers over the mark. The fading bruise stood out harshly against Sanji’s pale skin and Zoro barely noticed the blond relax his hand as Sanji’s fingertips brushed against his haramaki. “Cook, what the fuck?”

“How much do you know?” Sanji almost mumbled the question and Zoro snapped his attention up to meet the blond’s eyes. Sanji wasn’t looking at him, gaze focused on their arms. “What did everyone tell you?”

“You were going off to marry Big Mom’s daughter. Honestly, I was so pissed off at you, I blocked most of it out. I just couldn’t understand how you could just leave the others like that. It was so selfish of you!”

“I did it to protect you all.” Sanji jerked his hand free and buttoned his shirt sleeve once more. “Why can’t you see that?”

Zoro crossed his arms. “You running off to marry a yonko’s daughter is not protecting us.”

“Pudding didn’t—” Sanji stopped, inhaling and exhaling in an obvious attempt to calm down. “I didn’t run off to marry her. Dammit, Marimo, you should have listened. It wasn’t Big Mom I was trying to protect you from, it was the Vinsmokes.”

Sanji’s aura shifted again and a chill ran down Zoro’s spine. He could see the hatred twist Sanji’s face as he spoke the word and his aura reflected that malice as well. “Nami and the others mentioned that name.”

“Yes, I’m sure they did.” Sanji nodded stiffly, his tone dangerous and sharp. “I left to protect you from them.”

“And who are they?” Zoro took a step back, letting Sanji slip past him as the blond moved to where Zoro could now see his cigarettes lying on the counter. Sanji took his time bringing one to his mouth and lighting it, but Zoro could see it wasn't for show. Sanji was using the pause to think, to try and figure out the best way to have this conversation. The blond's aura pulsed with loathing and the feeling was so deep, so rooted into Sanji's soul, Zoro wasn't even sure it was Sanji, had it not been for the fact he was looking at the blond.

“I was born in North Blue,” Sanji started, leaning back against the counter and wrapping his arms around himself. His gaze traveled off, unseeing as he looked across the galley. “As Sanji Vinsmoke.”

Zoro sucked in a breath, unbelieving of the blond's words as Sanji took a drag off his cigarette, his hands actually shaking. “Quadruplets, actually, with an older sister.” Sanji gave a bitter laugh. “Reiju, Ichiji, Niji—”

“Sanji…” Zoro breathed out, the full brunt of the blond’s words hitting him hard.

“And Yonji,” Sanji finished as if Zoro hadn't even spoken. “They did this to me.” He raised his arm once more, giving Zoro a sullen smile. “I never meant for them to find me. I never meant for you guys to get mixed up in this. I ran away when I was little and thought I had left that name behind me. But… but they found me and they found Zeff. I just didn't want to see anyone get hurt because of me, Zoro.”

Zoro felt his stomach knot at Sanji's words. He was still upset, but hearing what it was Sanji was keeping secret all this time, even if just the beginning of it, was too much. The pain that was in his voice was overpowering the anger Zoro felt and he wasn't sure he wanted the blond to continue.

Sanji didn’t look at him, his gaze still focused on some point on the cabinets, but Zoro knew Sanji wasn’t seeing them. “I— I was the weak one, the outcast, if you can believe that, and my brothers weren’t exactly nice to me about it.” Sanji sucked in a shaky breath. “Fuck, I haven’t even told Luffy this, I don’t know why I am telling you.” Taking a drag off his cigarette, Sanji let out a dry chuckle. “I managed to get away from the horrors of that life and I stopped referring to myself as Vinsmoke. I mean, yeah, the old man knew it, but he never brought it up after that first time I told him about it.”

“So, I grew up,” Sanji went on, shrugging a shoulder. Zoro could feel the tension bleed out of Sanji and it felt like now that he’d started to tell the story, it was making him feel better. There was still lots of resentment in his aura, but it had shifted once again. “Met you guys and life was great. I mean, seriously; that name had been left behind me and we were free to do what we wanted. But I couldn’t let the Vinsmokes—” Sanji paused and finally turned to face Zoro. The look on his face reflected a broken resolution. “I said no, at first. I wanted nothing to do with it, but then they tried to hurt Nami-swan and brought up Zeff and the only choice I had was to go if I wanted to protect everyone.”

Zoro opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. He didn’t know what in the hell to say to Sanji. The blond’s aura took on that hateful tone once more as Sanji growled under his breath and jammed his cigarette back between his lips. “I fought them every chance I could. I took on every one of them, but every time I tried to fight back they would find something to use against me. First it was Zeff, then it was those stupid cuffs and back and forth they went. Then Luffy showed up.”

Something snapped in Sanji’s presence and Zoro took a step back at the overwhelming sorrow and self-loathing. “The hardest thing I have ever done,” Sanji started, his voice shaking and new tears brimming in the corner of his eyes. Zoro didn’t know what to do. He’d never actually seen Sanji cry before and he didn’t know if he was equipped to handle this much raw emotion from the man. “I stood there and told Luffy I was done, that I was Sanji Vinsmoke, prince of the Germa Kingdom and I didn’t want to ever see him again. When that didn’t work, I fought him.  _ I actually fought him. _ Luffy. And he stood there and let me do it.”

“Shit, Sanji.” Zoro breathed out, not really sure what else to say. He didn’t need Sanji to explain how hard that had been and how much he hated himself for it, his aura reflected that perfectly.

The blond wiped at his eyes, tipping his head back toward the ceiling. “Why you, of all people?”

“Come on, Sanji, you know damned well why. I just— I didn’t realize…” Zoro frowned as he trailed off. He didn’t have a clue as to what to say to Sanji. This was beyond anything that he thought Sanji would try to come up with, but it was the truth. That was one thing they always had, neither of them ever lied to one another. It was also why this entire thing had pissed Zoro off so much in the first place. Sanji had lied to them, but Zoro could understand why he had and he found himself unable to really blame Sanji in the same way he had when he first walked through the galley door.

“No one did, Zoro. I wanted it to be that way. I thought for sure they thought I was dead and to be perfectly honest— and clear— Sanji Vinsmoke  _ is _ dead. I never want to hear that name ever again.”

“I get it.” It was all he could say and he caught the unimpressed glare Sanji threw him as the cook rolled his eyes. Something lifted from the room, however, and all Zoro could feel was the typical spite and malice Sanji held for him in his aura. Things could finally return to normal, Zoro supposed. “I’m still pissed,” he blurted out.

Sanji just stared at him, eyes red as he tongued at the half burnt cigarette that still hung from the corner of his mouth. “You…” Sanji trailed off, narrowing his eyes at Zoro.

“Heart to heart talks with you are fucking weird as all fuck, Sanji.” Zoro crossed his arms. “I’m not denying you clearly needed it and I’m glad it’s off your chest, but fuck, Cook! You aren’t the only one with pent up aggression here.”

“Clearly, you fucking hit me hard.” Sanji rubbed at his cheek before pulling his cigarette from his mouth. “This has been hard on everyone, hasn’t it?”

“You have no idea, Shit Cook.” Zoro shook his head. “I have been waiting to fight you, arguing with Usopp just isn’t the same.”

Sanji’s eyes flashed, his want to fight Zoro clear, before he sighed through his nose. “It’s going to have to wait unfortunately, Marimo. Chopper says I need to let these marks heal a little more and for once, I’m going to listen.”

Zoro nodded sharply. “Your hands,” he stated simply, knowing nothing more on the subject needed to be said. When Sanji was better, back to a place where he could fight Zoro to his fullest once more, they would have at it, finally breaking through the last layers of tension and anger between them and settling their unspoken score once and for all.

“Ah, well,” Sanji shrugged and turned for the fridge. “There’s a couple onigiri left over. You want them?”

“What’s this? Free offers of food?”

Sanji pulled a small plate out and set it on the counter as Zoro slid into the end seat. “It’s a ‘thank you’ of sorts.” Sanji mumbled from behind his cigarette before turning and pulling down one of the bottles of alcohol from the upper cabinet. “And it’s just sort of nice to be back.”

With a shrug, Sanji turned back toward the sink and started the water, no doubt rinsing his blood down the drain and preparing to wash the few dishes that still sat on the counter. Zoro picked up the bottle and twisted it open, pouring some into the empty glass that still sat on the counter from where Sanji had set them up at dinner. Raising the bottle to his mouth, Zoro paused just before he took a swig. “I enjoy your company, too, Sanji.” The blond snorted and Zoro smirked, pressing the mouth of the bottle to his lips and taking a long drink.


End file.
